A typical battery charger has a maximum charge current that it can provide to a battery being charged. If a battery user is unsatisfied with the resulting charge rate (e.g. the time it takes to recharge the battery), there is little the user can do. Of course, the maximum charge current that can be provided by a charger affects the cost of the charger. A higher charge current requires proportionally larger and more expensive components to handle the increased power output. Thus, a user must choose between a more expensive, faster charging charger, or a smaller, less expensive charger that can take longer to charge a battery. Unfortunately conventional chargers are not modifiable, so if the user desires a different form factor or different charging capacity, the user must purchase another charger to meet those needs.
Accordingly, there is a need for a battery charger that can be modified to suit the particular needs of a user at a given time.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.
The apparatus and method components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.